Cristiano Ronaldo is recognized as one of football`s greatest ever players, having won nearly every major title available. The Portuguese star`s intense ambition and drive to be the best set him apart, and his continued impressive performances for Al Nassr further demonstrate his incredible skill and remarkable longevity.
Even at the age of 40, Ronaldo continues to defy expectations about aging. In the 2024-25 season, he has been prolific for Al Nassr, leading the scoring charts in the Saudi Pro League and showing no signs of slowing down.
However, despite his desire to add more trophies to his collection, there is one prestigious title he will not be competing for in 2025 – the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup, scheduled to be held in the USA. While the tournament will feature global football powerhouses like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea, neither Ronaldo nor Al Nassr will be among the participants.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr Won`t Be Playing
Even with the tournament`s expansion to 32 teams for the 2025 edition, Al Nassr did not secure a place to travel to the United States. Only one guaranteed spot was allocated for a representative from the Saudi Pro League. As Al-Hilal secured the league title emphatically last season, they were awarded this coveted position.
FIFA`s qualification criteria strongly favored teams that won their domestic leagues or their respective continental championships during the qualification window. Since Al Nassr did not win the Saudi Pro League title and also failed to win the AFC Champions League in the relevant period, their chances of qualifying were always limited.
Al-Hilal, featuring stars such as Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves under the guidance of coach Jorge Jesus, dominated the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League, finishing with a significant 14-point lead. They remarkably completed the season undefeated. If a second qualification spot had been available based on league position, Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al Nassr teammates would have also qualified, having finished as runners-up.
Looking ahead, Al Nassr faces a challenging path to qualify for the subsequent Club World Cup, set for 2029. Their current campaign in the 2024-25 season has been less than impressive so far, trailing significantly behind Al-Ittihad despite possessing a lineup of attacking talent. If they hope to compete on the world stage in the future, substantial improvements will be necessary.
Qualified Teams for Club World Cup 2025
| Confederation | Number of Teams | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| AFC (Asia) | 4 | Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Ulsan HD |
| CAF (Africa) | 4 | Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns |
| CONCACAF (North/Central America & Caribbean) | 4 | Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, TBD, Pachuca |
| CONMEBOL (South America) | 6 | Palmeiras, Fluminense, Flamengo, Botafogo, River Plate, Boca Juniors |
| OFC (Oceania) | 1 | Auckland City |
| UEFA (Europe) | 12 | Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg |
| CONCACAF (Host) | 1 | Inter Miami |
